Description
Creamy Marry Me Shrimp Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender shrimp sautéed in a luscious sun-dried tomato cream sauce with garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh spinach, served over perfectly cooked linguine or fettuccine. This quick and elegant pasta recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or impressing guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Pasta
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 oz long pasta such as linguine or fettuccine
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- Fresh basil leaves, torn (for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the long pasta like linguine or fettuccine for 1–2 minutes less than the package directions to retain firmness. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Prepare Shrimp: Pat the peeled and deveined shrimp completely dry using paper towels to ensure a good sear. Heat 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear Shrimp: Place the shrimp in the hot skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side until they turn opaque and curl into a C-shape. Remove the shrimp immediately to a plate to prevent overcooking.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the thinly sliced garlic, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze Pan: Pour in 1/2 cup of dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the flavorful browned bits. Let the wine simmer until it reduces by half, intensifying the sauce’s flavor.
- Add Cream and Tomatoes: Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/3 cup of julienned sun-dried tomatoes. Allow the mixture to simmer for around 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Incorporate Cheese: Lower the heat to low and whisk in 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the sauce becomes silky and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Spinach: Add the cooked pasta and 1 cup of fresh baby spinach to the skillet. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Toss Pasta: Using tongs, toss the pasta and spinach until the spinach wilts and every strand is coated with the creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water if the sauce appears too thick.
- Return Shrimp and Garnish: Place the cooked shrimp back into the pan. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and finish with a final crack of black pepper before serving.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed; it helps bind the sauce to the pasta.
- Dry shrimp thoroughly to achieve a perfect sear without steaming them.
- If you don’t have sun-dried tomato oil, substitute with olive oil and add extra sun-dried tomatoes for flavor.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best texture and flavor in the sauce.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred heat level.
- To make this dish gluten-free, substitute regular pasta with gluten-free pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: shrimp pasta, creamy shrimp pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta, garlic shrimp pasta, easy pasta dinner, seafood pasta recipe
